Art of producing capped nut blanks



Aug. 24, 1937. H. ROSENBERG ART OF PRODUCING CAPPED NUT BLANKS Filed May 21, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. ROSENBERG 2,090,641

ART OF PRODUCING CAPPED NUT BLANKS Filed May 21, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 24, 193 7.

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Aug. 24, 1937. H. ROSENBERG ART OF PRODUCING CAI-FED NUT 'BLANKS Filed May 21, 1935 9 SheetsSheet 5 Aug. 24, 1937. ROSENBERG 2,090,641

ART OF PRODUCING CAPPED NUT BLANKS Filed May 21, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 CINozmu 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 M wit: &

H. ROSENBERG Filed May 21, 1935 ART OF PRODUCING QAPPED NUT BLANKS Aug. 24, 193 7.

Aug. 24, 1937. ROSENBERG 2,090,641

ART OF PRODUCING CAPPED NUT BLANKS Filed May 21, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 anucmfo'c:

I H14, an 1 Aug. 24, 1937. H. ROSENBERG ART OF PRODUCING CAPPED NUT BLANKS Filed May 21, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 Aug. 24, 1937. H. ROSENBERG 2,090,641

ART OF PRODUCING CAPPED NUT BLANKS Filed May 21, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 I! 1 J3 if a H16, OHM-n1 1937. H. ROSENBERG 2,090,641

ART OF PRODUCING CAPPED NUT BLANKS Filed May 21, 1935 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ART or PRODUCING carrsn NUT BLANKS Heyman Rosenberg, New York, N. Y. I Application May 21, 1935-. Serial No. 22,593"

11 Claims.

It has heretofore been proposed to form capped nut blanks from globular pieces of material and from sheet material, but certain difflculties have presented themselves in each instance, such as lack of sumcient stability of the angles of the tool-receiving portion of the nut when made of sheet material, and the necessity for drilling out the material of the blank to provide the tap-receiving recess when made from a solid piece of material.

An object of the present invention is to overcome both of these and other objections.

Heretofore proposed methods for forming forged capped nuts have involved the use of a stamping machine which requires the constant attention of an operator, and, if more than one machine is operated, an operator for each ma chine. The operation of a stamping machine is, as is well known, comparatively slow and accord- 20 ingly proportionally expensive; whereas according to the present invention I produce capped nuts from pieces of material, whether sheet metal or lumps or slugs of material, and without regard to whether they are globular or otherwise shaped,

25 and produce them by the employment of standard headers equipped with improvements hereinafter set forth, which headers function much more rapidly than stamping machines and do not require the constant service and care of an 30 operator, so that as many as twelve headers may be properly cared for by a single operator.

Furthermore, the practicing of the present invention by the employment of a standard header with the improvements hereinafter set forth 35 produces a smoother and finer product, superior in every respect to that which can be obtained by the operations of a stamping machine.

Thus, among the objects in view, is the saving of power and labor, the elimination of loss of 40 material, the avoidance of excess operation, such as the drilling of the blank, and the obtaining of a superior product at minimum expense.

A general object is the production of capped nut blanks from any of various forms of materials 45 by simple cold forging operations.

With these and further objects in view as will in part hereinafter become-apparent and in part be stated, the invention possesses three phases, one comprising an art of forming capped nut 50 blanks, the second comprising improved apparatus applied to and cooperating with standard headers as the best and most facile manner of carrying out the art, and the third comprising 55 the superior, resulting product.

The present invention, so far as the art and the product are concerned, includes those steps and combinations of steps of the art eflective in producing capped nuts and the product so produced whether -made from a. piece of sheet material or merely from a solid mass without re- 6 gard to its exact contour, as, for instance, a slug severed from a rod or wire.

The combination of steps comprising the art broadly includes shaping the material into the form of an elongated thimble and then com- 10 pressing the material of the thimble longitudinally while expanding portions of it laterally to the final shape of a capped nut blank. It should be understood that a capped nut is a nut having its trailing and closed, so that, when it is threaded over a bolt or other screw-threaded instrument, the end of the bolt is covered by the cap of the nut, which cap may bepartiglobular or otherwise shaped, and the closed end may be considered a dome, from which fact such nuts are sometimes referred to as dome nuts.

Also, the invention includes shaping the ma terial for a capped nut blank to a thimble-like shell and then varying portions of the walls of they shell to provide a polysided exterior condition of the nut body while preserving the in= ternal recess, the walls of which are to be formed with the internal or nut thread.

That phase of the invention relating to apparatus for facilitating the most facile practicing of the art includes a die for receiving material for the forming of a capped nut blank, dies cooperating therewith for shaping the material into an elongated thimble or shell, and dies for compressing the thimble to a shorter length while expanding portionsof its sides to produce a polysided nut body.

It should be understood that by preference, as will hereinafter become apparent, four-stroke die apparatus is employed where the invention is practiced in treating masses of material such as, for instance, pieces of sheet metal drawn to shelllike form or irregular slugs cut successively from a supply of wire or rod. The four-stroke dies may be provided by a four-stroke header, or, as is preferred, by two two-stroke headers. When the two headers are employed, the first is provided with means for severing a piece of wire or other slug or mass of material, or otherwise detaching work material, from a supply source, and also provided with means for transporting such a slug or mass of material into line with cooperating dies that function first to move the work material from the transporting means into supporting engagement with one of the dies, then forging the said work material into a rough general outline of the thimble to be formed, and then shaping the work material into the contour of the elongated thimble. The thimble 'is then transported to the second header where it is subjected to two steps of an operation in addition to the feeding of the thimble into line with the operating dies, the first step consisting of mounting the thimble in one of the dies on means for preserving the interior recess 10 in the thimble while the exterior contour of the thimble is being changed, and the second step consisting in the treating of the thimble so mounted for finishing the blank in the form of a shorter product than the length of the thimble but having the tool-receiving exterior surfaces or angular faces customarily in the form of a hexgon.

It should also be understood that in the course of such treatment of the work material, if at any 20 time, incident to the cold forging operations, in-

ternal stress is set up in the material tending to interfere with or prevent the further effective shaping of the material to the required successive contours, appropriate treatment for normalization is carried out, such as annealing, and also, when the blank is completed, it may be tumbled, burnished, or otherwise treated for polishing and otherwise finishing its surfaces, and then it is ready for the tapping operation to provide the internal threads that make of it a complete nut,

or the finishing of the surfaces may be carried out after the tapping operation, as may be preferred.

For convenience of disclosure, the apparatus preferably employed and the improved features thereof will be described along with a setting forth of the preferred steps and combinations of steps of the improved process.

In the accompanying drawings,-

40 Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a standard doublestroke header equipped with features of the present invention, the section being taken approximately on the planes indicated by line I-l of 4.5 Figure and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation, partly broken away of a piece of work material, such as a fragment or slug severed from wire stock for use in 50 practicing the art comprising part of the present invention, the slug being seen on a greatly enlarged scale relative to- Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through such a slug as seen in Figure 2 after the first stroke of the shaping dies.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the blank of Figure 3 after the second stroke of the shaping dies.

Figure 5 is a view partly in plan and partly in 60 horizontal section of the header of Figure 1, the

parts being shown on a scale somewhat enlarged relative to Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, detailed view showing the plunger dies of Figures 1 and 5 in eleva- 63 tion and the matrix die and stripper in section, the parts being in the position at the conclusion of an initial stroke of the initial. plunger die and the stripper engagement of the second plunger die.

70 Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the parts in the position at the conclusion of the forming stroke of the second plunger die.

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation of the die block and stripper means, parts being broken 75 away and seen in section for disclosing otherwise til concealed parts, and the parts being shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the matrix die block showing the stripper in end view.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken on the plane indicated by line III-ill of Figure 8.

Figure 11 isa view similar to Figure 1 of a second double-stroke header equipped with further features of the present invention, the parts being seen on a somewhat enlarged scale over those shown in Figure 1.

Figure 12 is a sectional elevation of the blank seen in Figure 4 but located in the proper relative position for application to the matrix die seen in seen in the position at the conclusion of the first advance stroke of the header and just prior to the receding stroke.

Figure 16 is a similar view of the same at or just after the conclusion of the second stroke of the header.

Figure 17 is a detailed elevation of the retainer disc detached, parts being seen in section, and the section being taken on the plane indicated by line i'l-i'l of Figure and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 18 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of the blank feeding carriage and mechanism for shifting the blank to the proper angularity to effect registration thereof with the supporting and knock-out pins.

Figure 19 is a view in side elevation thereof, parts being seen in section.

Figure 20 is a perspective view of the knockout pin detached.

Figure 21 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional elevation of a combination cutting and forming die and cooperating parts for producing thimblelike shells from sheet material, some of the parts being indicated diagrammatically.

Figure 22 is a similar view of the same at the conclusion of a cutting and forming stroke.

Figure 23 is a fragmentary section of metal strip or like material from which the cap-forming discs have been stamped by the operation of the structure seen in Figures 21 and 22.

It is, of course, well understood in the industry that a header is a machine for forging enlargements on the ends of wire or rod blanks in the course of manufacturing nails, screws, bolts, and like fasteners. One of the earlier and simpler forms of such headers is seen more or less diagrammatically in the patent to T. Ferry, No. 1,069,659, dated August 5, 1913. The header shown in the said Ferry patent is of the doublestroke type, that is to say, a forming or matrix die is located to receive material to be treated by two plunger dies, one of which is caused to approach and act upon the material with one stroke of the machine, and then shifts out of line while the other shifts into line and acts on the material during the next stroke. The headers have become somewhat more complicated and more efficient than the illustration in the patent just mentioned, but the principle generally remains the same in the two-stroke headers.

An illustration of a modern and efficient header is found in the product now being marketed by the Waterbury Farrel Foundry and Machine Company, of'Waterbury, Connecticut, and the- 5 present invention is well adapted to be exemplified in the improved attachments and in the efficient practicing of a process with such a header, and especially with a header of the type popularly referred to as solid-die, double-stroke, high speed crank header. Parts of this header are disclosed in the patent to, C. O. Petitjean, No. 1,478,356, dated December 18, 1923. Parts commonly known and popularly used on such headers are in part omitted and in part shown in the accompanying drawings, so much only being illustrated as is adapted for facilitating disclosure of the present invention. Detailed description of parts that are thus commonly known and are not directly modified by the present invention is omitted as not 20 needed,

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the apparatus seen in Figures 1 to 10 inclusive consists essentially of a header having the usual pitman I journaled on an actuating crank and piv- 25 oted to impart the requisite thrusts to the die block 2. A plunger slide 3 is carried by the die block 2 in position to slide vertically thereon or across the rectilinear horizontal path of the. die block 2 while being carried thereby and receiving 30 its thrust therefrom. A punch holder 4 is mounted onthe plunger slide 3 and carries the punches or plunger dies 5 and 6 which are spaced vertically apart. An appropriate apparatus, such as a crank l and its connected parts, imparts timed, vertical shifting movement to the plunger slide 3 to cause the punch or plunger die 5 first to operate and then to move up out of line and then the punch or plunger die 6 to operate.

Of course, the parts just described are appropriately mounted in a suitable bed or framework '3' having an internal space accommodating the plunger dies 5 and 6 spaced from the cooperating opposing matrix die 8. At one side of die 8 is a cut-ofif die 9 and a laterally reciprocating cutter bar iii (corresponding to cutter id of said Petitjean patent) with which cooperates the springstressed clamping finger it carried by the fiddle bow (not shown but seen at I! in said Petitjean patent, finger H corresponding to finger 25 of said patent) for clamping the material severed by the bar It against the bar while the bar is moving into line with the die 8. A reciprocating cutter slide i2 (corresponding to slide it of the Petitjean patent) carries the shearing bar Iii. Slide i2 is reciprocated in timed relation to the action of the die block 2, and the plunger dies 5 and 5. Thus, shearing bar it successively severs a slug or blank from a supply of wire or rod fed through die 9, moves the slug over to alinement with matrix die 8, with the cooperation of finger i i, releases the blank or slug and returns to cut off the next blank or slug in timed relation to the movements of the other cooperating parts.

In nail making headers, the die corresponding to die 8 is the heading die and appropriately recessed punches are carried by the punchholder t to cooperate with the blank in the heading die. According to the present invention, however, the punches or plunger dies 5 and 6 are not the ordinary heading cone punches but are especially constructed and incorporate features of the present invention. It will be noted that the die 8 is provided centrally with a recess it into which the material of the blank is to be 7 forced in giving the blank its initial and second shape. To this end, the plunger die I is provided with a preferably cylindrical, reduced extension or projection ll terminating in a parti-globular or bulbous extension l5 centrally, axially located. The free end surface of the projection I4 with the exception of the bulbous part I5 is fiat, and the projection I4 is of a diameter to snugly fit within and slide into the die recess l3 for effectively forging the slug or piece of work material comprising the blank I6 of Figure 2 against the inner end and sides of the recess l3 to substantially thecondition seen at It in Figure 3 with the depression l9 in its outer end. Irregularity in the original shape of the blank I6 is not objectionable so long as the material is of such contour and quantity that it can be successfully forced into the die recess l3 and there cold forged into the form of a thimble-like shell 20, seen detached in Figures 4 and 12.

Whether the work material be a slug, as seen at IS in Figure 2 cut from a supply of wire or rod, or a slug otherwise produced, the slug is held, as by cutter bar l and finger II, in line with the die recess l3 as the die block 2 is concluding the first forward stroke, so that projection M with its rounded extension l engages the slug and forces it into recess l3 and compresses it sufficiently for cold forging it and causing it to conform substantially to the contour of the die recess l3 and to thus assume the shape l6 of Figure 3. Then the die block 2 recedes and leaves the work material I t in the die recess Before the next advance stroke of die block 2, the punch slide is shifted upward by the action of the crank i and cooperating parts until the plunger die 6 is brought into line with the die recess l3. Plunger 6 is provided with an axially outstanding shaping finger 18 which, in the forward stroke of die block 2, enters the recess l3 and enters the centering depression it of blank l5, and the further advancing movement of the finger It causes the material of blank it to be flowed both laterally into more compact condition, and longitudinally into greater length, movprogresses; but it should be further understood.

that slight departures from such contours, such, for instance, as some little irregularity about the outer margin or free edge of the thimble 2o as seen in Figures 4 and 12, or some slight flattening of the parti-globular or rounded inner end thereof as in Figure 3 is not of any materiality, such irregularity being effectively corrected in the next succeeding steps of the process.

It is important that the amount of material in the blank or slug, such as seen in Figure 2, be substantially that required for the completed article, and it will, of course, be understood that when the slug or fragment of wire, as seen in Figure 2, is employed, the operation begins with the cutting ofi of the slug from the supply wire or rod seen at 2B. This supply Wire or rod Qi is passed between the feeding rolls 22 which are part of the standard equipment of the header machine, and the wire or rod is extended end portion is severed by the cross stroke of the shearing bar ill. The spring finger Ii resiliently stresses the portion being cut of! against the shearing bar i8 and continues to frictionally hold the slug after it is severed while the bar i8 is functioning as a carriage to move the slug over into line with the recess l8. Properly timed with this movement the plunger die 8 approaches and begins to press the slug l8 into the recess 18, 10 and thereupon bar l8 moves back and spring finger l l releases the slug and rides over plunger 8 back to again engage the protruding end portion of wire 2i. Wire 2i is of course fed through the die 8 into position for being cut of! for supl5 plying the next slug in timed relation to the other movements of the machine. It should be understood that the feeding rolls 22 and cut-off die 8 (as well as the shearing bar l8 and spring finger l i) are standard equipment of well known types of headers for use in the making of nails, screws, bolts, and the like, and that the feeder rolls 22 are provided with appropriate adjustment and control devices for feeding forward the desired and requisite quantity only of the wire 25 or rod 2i to be severed by the shearing bar i8. Wire or rod 2| may be steel, copper or other material according to the product desired.

A knock-out pin 28 is part of the standard equipment of a header, and, in the present con- 30 struction, extends through the die 8 and axially into the recess i8, said pin extending through a portion of the framing 1" in position to be engaged by the free end of an actuating lever 28,.

pivoted at 33 to swing in timed relation to the 35 strokes of the die block 2 to cause the pin 28 to have a knock-out stroke at every alternate stroke of die block 2 as the die finger I8 is receding.

However, the said knock-out pin 28 and its operation are largely only precautionary, since the thimble 28, when completed about the finger l8, usually clings to the finger with a frictional engagement requiring the thimble to be stripped from the finger to prepare the finger for the next operation. To that end, the stripping mechanism seen in Figures 6 to 10 inclusive is provided. As best seen in Figures '7 and 8, the die engaging block 25 for die 8 is provided with a recess 28 to accommodate the projection l8 on the second stroke of the die block 2, the recess 28 being spaced above and in vertical alinement with the recess l8 and centered to correspond with the respective centering of the projection l8 and the finger l8. shown, the space below the recess l8 corresponding to the location of the finger i8 when projection I8 is in a recess corresponding to recess i8 is merely an open space, but, according to the present invention, provision is made for engaging the thimble 28 on the finger i8 and stripping the 0 same therefrom while beneath the die 8. Ac-

cordingly, a detent is provided for the thimble that allows the free movement of the finger. To this end, an appropriate framework 21 is arranged beneath the die 8 and provided with slide 5 plates 28, 28, each having a semi-circular notch at its inner end facing the corresponding notch of the other slide plate so as to provide a passageway or opening 28 through which the finger l8 may freely move. That is to say, thepassageway 7 29 is of a sufficient diameter to permit free movement of the finger alone through said passageway. The slide plates 28, however, are provided with inclined or conical walls 88, 88, leading to the aperture 28, the said walls being proportioned 75 and located during operation to be struck by the Ordinarily, in headers of the type.

rounded or globular end of the thimble 28 as the finger l8 approaches the recess 28. The slide plates 28 are preferably feathered or tongue-and groove connected in the frame 21 to slide freely longitudinally therein, and a spring 8i stresses each of the slide plates toward the other to keep the ends of the slide plates in abutment when not forced apart. A guide .pin 82 is preferably provided for each spring 8i and extends from frame 21 into and along the respective coiled spring 8i a. distance sufficient to retain and guide the spring in its movements.

Thus, when the die block 2 makes its first stroke, the projection i8 compresses and shapes the material in the recess l8 and then the die block recedes, the material being left in the recess i8. The die plungers 8 and 8 are then shifted upward until finger i8 is brought into line with the recess i8, and then the die block 2 makes its second stroke during which the finger i8 enters the recess l8 and fiows the material therein to the thimble-like shape to produce the thimble 28, as above stated. Then the die plungers 8 and 8 recede and descend to bring the 1 7 projection l8 in line with recess i8 for the next first stroke. However, in making this next first stroke, the finger i8 carrying the thimble 28 causes the rounded end of the thimble to strike thimble, passes the rear face of the plates 28 incident to the opening and closing movement of plates 28. Said slides thus become a direct detent for the thimble 20. With the next return movement of plunger 8, the edges of the thimble strike said detent and the thimble is thereby stripped from the finger l8 and allowed to drop into a chute for other receiver located-below and not shown.

In Figures 11 to 20 inclusive is shown a second header which, in the general construction and operating mechanism, is identical with that Just described, but to which have been added or substituted parts comprehending features of the present invention, so that the general mechanism will be referred to only briefly and the improved parts described in detail.

The header of Figures 11 to 20 inclusive is provided with the usual pitman 8i corresponding to pitman i of Figure 1, and is connected to impart the requisite thrusts to the die block 82. A plunger slide 88 is carried by die block 82 in position to slide vertically thereon, that is across the rectilinear, horizontal path of reciprocation of die block 82 while being carried by the die block and receiving the thrusts therefrom. A punch holder 88 is mounted on the plunger slide 88 and carries the punches or plunger dies 88 and 88 which are spaced vertically apart, the former above the latter. Appropriate apparatus, such as a crank 81 and its connected parts, impart timed vertical shifting movement to plunger slide 88 to cause the punch or die plunger 88 first to operate and then to move up out of the way, and then the punch or plunger die 88 to operate.

These parts are appropriately mounted on a suitable bed or framework 81 having an internal space accommodating the plunger dies 88 and 88 spaced from the cooperating opposing matrix die. This matrix die is seen at 88, and is of the type commonly known as floating, since it is mounted in the die block 88 to reciprocate therein, being stressed outward, that is toward the plunger dies, by appropriate springs 58, 58, and held against movement outward beyond the face of die block 49 by overlapping shoulders at the outer end of the matrix die, such as shoulder 5| carried by the die block and shoulder 52 formed on the matrix die. Guiding pins 58 outstand from the backing plate 54 into sockets 55 formed in the die 48. The die 48 is provided with a longitudinal, axial bore 56 extending throughout its length and terminating at the exposed or front end portion of die 48 in a matrix 51 which is hexagonal in contour or otherwise shaped according to the intended exterior shape of the finished article to be forged within the matrix 57. A knock-out pin in the form of a sleeve is arranged in the bore 56 and has its forward portion reduced at 59 to correspond in cross section with and to snugly fit and ride within the matrix portion 51, thereduced portion 59 terminating in a shoulder 68 at the junction with the main portion of the knock-out pin or sleeve 58, and the said shoulder opposing a shoulder 62 in the length of the bore 56 for limiting the outward movement of the pin 58 in the bore 56,

so that, while the reduced portion 59 can be caused to'move to a position with its outer end slightly beyond the outer face of die 48, the pin 58 'can not escape from the bore 56. Back of the pin 58 within the bore 56 is arranged a pin so actuating sleeve 62 freely shiftable in the bore 55, the outer end of the sleeve resting against the inner end of the pin 58 and the inner end of the sleeve resting against actuating pins 63, 68 extending through and slidingly mounted in the retainer disc or backing plate 54. An appropriate set screw 88 is employed to lock the plate or disc 58 against movement. The rear ends of pins 63 rest against the forward end of a knock-out rod 65 which extends through the framework of the machine back to an actuating lever 66 pivoted at 6'5 and having its free end engaging a thrust rod 68 which imparts timed impulses to the knock-out rod 65.

The knock-out rod 85 at its forward end portion is provided with an axial bore 69 having an enlargement iii in its length afiording a shoulder ii, and a centering pin 12 is mounted in and reciprocates freely along the bore 69 and is provided with an enlargement affording a shoulder J3 opposing the shoulder l l. A spring '74 is coiled about the pin '52 between the shoulders ll and E8 to stress the pin l2 outward, and a circumferential ridge 15 is formed on the pin 12 immediateiy in the rear of the backing plate or retaining disc 56 to limit the possible extent of outward movement of pin 12. Pin 72 extends through the backing plate 54, through the collar or sleeve 62, and through and beyond the knockout pin 58, and the exposed or front end portion of the pin 12 is proportioned to correspond with the internal dimensions of the finished capped nut blank, apd, to that end, is provided with a parti-globular terminus i6.

Cooperating with the floating die 48, the plunger die 85 is provided with a push-on tool or finger 65 Ti, and the finishing plunger die 46 is provided with a matrix or recess 18 complemental of the matrix 51, so that, when the two are brought together as seen in Figure 16, they have an internal surface contour corresponding with the external surface contour of the dome or cap and the sides of the finished capped nut blank.

Cooperating with the dies 45 and 48 is a feeding mechanism for delivering the thimble-like shells or thimbles of Figures 4 and 12, or like thimbles however previously produced, to alinement with the matrix 51, and such feeding mechanism is seen in assembled relation in top plan in Figure 14 and in detail in Figures 18 and 19, and includes the transversely reciprocating slide bar or carriage 19, which is the samei part in the general header mechanism as the part l2 of Figure 5 which carries the cutter. However, no

cutter being required, the slide 19 is employed as the carriage for the feeding mechanism for the thimble-like shells, and, to that end, a frame 88 is detachably fixed to the slide bar 79, as by a bolt 8!, and the abutting shoulders of the contacting parts. Journaled in the inner end portion of frame 88 is a shaft82, the exposed or inner free end of which carries a fork or yoke 83 which, as seen in Figure 19, has its fork space or internal recess 84 shaped to correspond with and snugly receive the thimbles or thimble-like shells 28 when dropped into the fork from above with the parti-globular closed end of the thimble downward. Mechanism, not illustrated, is pref-- pin 89 moves the crank arm 88 from the vertical 1 position of Figures 18 and 19 to a horizontal position. The slot 98 is arranged in a bracket 9| fixed to and immovably extending inwardly from a portion of the frame 87'. Thus, when the slide 19 is in its outermost position, the wrist pin 89 is at the upper end of the slot-98, as seen in Figures 18 and 19, and the fork 84 is open upward to receive a thimble-like shell 28; but,'as the slide l9 begins to move inward or toward and across the path of the plunger dies, the pin 89 is caused to travel or shift along the slot 98 until it reaches the lower end of the slot, during which movement the shaft 87 is caused by such shift to be rotated through an angle of ninety degrees. Such rotation is in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 19, so that the shaft 82 is rotated by gears 86 and 85 to cause the fork 83 to move from the upright position to a sidewise position, whereby the thimble carried by the fork is brought to a position in line with the-matrix 51 with the open end of the thimble or shell presented toward the matrix and with the bore or recess of the shell in line with the centering pin '12. All the parts are, of course, timed in their movements relative to each other, as is common practice in header mechanism, so that, when the thimble-like shell is thus brought into line with pin 72 the push-on tool or finger l1 has approached and strikes the thimble within the fork 83 and pushes it on to the pin 12 until it is seated against the parti-globular end :76 thereof. The parts are then in the position shown in Figure 15, except that the fork 83 is not therein shown. Immediately the fork 83 begins to recede and the push-on finger 11 also begins to recede, and when the latter has reached the limit of its rear stroke-it is moved upward until the matrix 18 of finishing die 46 is brought into line with the thimble on the pin 12. Then the finishing die 86 advances until it engages the blank or thimble, and then continues its advancing movement until it reaches the position seen in Figure 16. The finishing die 46 in reaching this position compresses the thimble-like shell longitudinally while expanding certain portions of its walls laterally until the finished blank 62 is produced as seen in Figure I3 detached and seen in the machine in Figure 16.

As soon as this is accomplished, the finishing die 46 begins to recede and the knock-out rod 66 advances and causes the knock-out pin 68 to 10 push the finished blank out of matrix 61, and then the rod 66 recedes and leaves the parts ready for the next thimble to be applied to the projecting end of centering pin I2. It will be observed that the advance of the push-on finger 11 against the blank in pressing the same onto the pin 12 pushes the knock-out pin 68 with 001- lar 62 and pins 63 back to the position seen in Figures 15 and 16.

It should also be noted that the die block 49 is formed with an appropriate recess 93 which accommodates the finger 11 when in its raised position and while the finishing die 46 is shaping the blank within the matrix 51 and matrix I0. Finishing die 46, on the other hand, is accommodated beneath the die 46 when the finger I1 is pushing the blank onto the centering pin 12. The floating capacity of the die 46 enables cooperative adjustment and compensating movements which are always very slight to enable the accomplishment of the results seen in Figure 13, and it will be understood by those familiar with standard headers that the knock-out rod 66 in its receded position, as seen in Figures 15 and 16, is firmly held against further backing oil so that 36 the pins 63, collar or sleeve 62, and knock-out pin 66 can not back off, and the knock-out pin therefore provides an abutment against which the free edges of the blank being made are shaped.

It will be noted from the foregoing that the thimble-like shell or blank 20 of Figures 4 and 12 is substantially circular in cross section throughout the greater part of its length and that the action of the matrices 61 and 13 effects expansion to a polysided contour of the nut body and the perfectly finished dome or parti-globular cap.

It should be readily understood also that the first steps and the material employed by which the thimble-like shell 20 is produced are susceptible of variations without departing from the principlesand scope of the present invention, and, as illustrative of other steps by which said blank 20 can well be produced, the structures seen in Figures 21 and 22 may be referred to. In these figures is shown stamping mechanism for producing thimble-like shells not from wire or bulk material but from sheet material, such 00 as appropriate sheet metal.

Referring to these figures specifically by numerals, I00 indicates a' roll of material, such as a strip of sheet metal, which provides the stock or supply, and the strip is laced through feeding 5 rollers III that sufficiently frictionally engage the strip I00 to feed the same forward incident to rotation of the rolls, and the rolls are rotated by mechanism timed to operate in co-ordination with the operation of the other parts. A shearing die I02 is arranged just below the path of the strip I00, and immediately above the path of said strip is arranged a plunger shearing die I03 having a shaping, axial recess or bore I04 in which is located a knock-out pin I 04'. A float- ,75 ing die I06 is arranged within and urrounded by'the shearing die I02 and mounted to recede with the advance of the plunger die I03, so that, when the die I03 is moved down into the die I02, a disc is cut from the strip I00 and forced down into the space surrounded by die I02. An upstanding finger I06 is stationarily mounted within the floating die I06 so that the die I06 can slide down along the finger I06. An appropriate adjusting screw I01 is preferably provided for setting the finger I 06 at the required location and for sustaining the same against movement incident to the pressure to which the finger is subjected. -The finger I06 is proportioned to correspond with the finger iii of Figure 1 in contour and dimensions, and as the plunger die I03 descends and severs a disc from the strip I00, the said disc is caused to be drawn over the end and shaped about the finger I06 as the die I03 descends, the recess I04 corresponding substantially to the matrix I3 of Figures 6 and 7. The plunger die I03 continues to descend and thus to shape the material of the severed disc about the finger I06 and within the matrix or recess I04 until a completed thimble 20, as seen in Figure 22, is produced, this thimble being the same substantially in every particular with the thimble 20 of Figure 4 except for the fact that it is made of sheet material drawn to the required shape and proportions instead of being forged from a slug.

As soon as the thimble 20 is completed by the action of the die I03 over the finger I06, the die recedes or moves upward to the position seen in Figure 21, and as it recedes the fioating die I06 follows and thus strips the thimble 20 from the finger I06. As the die I03 continues upward the knockout pin is arrested by an abutment (not shown) and the further upward movement of the die I03 carries the die clear of the formed blank, causing the blank to be stripped out of the die I 03. The machine is desirably mounted in an inclined position to cause the stripped blank to fall by gravity away from the path of the die I03 and into a suitable receptacle (not shown). when the formed blank has been thus discharged from between the dies I03 and I06, the feeding rolls IOI operate to advance the strip I00 a distance sufilcient to present fresh material for the action of the parts I03, I02, I06, and I06.

In Figure 23 is illustrated the results of the action of these parts on the strip I00. which is to leave a series of circular openings I03 therein, the said openings being, in ideal operations, as closely spaced as practicable for effective shearing action of the next succeeding blank without leaving any defective edge to the blank. When the thimble-like shell 20 is thus produced it is fed to the fork 63 and treated in the manner above set forth.

The fioating die I06 is preferably resiliently retained in operative position by known apparatus including a cushion I06, such as a block of rubber or other appropriate resilientmaterial.

What is claimed is:-

1. In the art of forming capped nut blanks, the steps of shaping a flat sheet blank into an elongated thimble-like shell, and subsequently shaping the shell to that of a nut body and an integral dome-like cap, the said subsequent shaping of the shell including longitudinal shortening and simultaneous lateral spreading and thickening of a skirt portion of the shell wall while supporting the dome portion against deformation.

2. In the art of forming capped nut blanks, the steps of shaping metal into an elongated thimble-like shell, and subsequently shaping the shell to that of a nut body and an integral domelike cap, the said subsequent shaping of the shell including longitudinal shortening and simultaneous lateral spreading and thickening of parts of the shell wall while supporting the dome portion against deformation.

3. In the art of forming capped nut blanks, the steps of shaping a mass of metal, such as a slug, into an elongated thimble-like shell, and subsequently shaping the shell to that of a nut body and an integral dome-like cap, the said subsequent shaping of the shell including longitudinal shortening and simultaneous lateral spreading and thickening of parts of the shell wall while supporting the dome portion against deformation.

4. In the art of forming capped nut blanks, the steps of cold forging a mass of metal into an elongated thimble-like shell, and subsequently cold forging the shell to the shape of a nut body and an integral dome-like cap, the said subsequent forging of the shell including longitudinal shortening and simultaneous lateral spreading and thickening of parts of the shell wall while supporting the dome portion against deformation.

5. The method of forming a capped nut which comprises forming a blank having a dome and a hollow body of substantially the same diameter as the dome base and having less cross-sectional wall area than that desired in the finished body, and then spreading and broadening a skirt portion of the body wall to substantially polygonal external contour, by simultaneously laterally expanding and longitudinally compressing the skirt portion of the body while solidly supporting the blank externally of the dome and internally oi the body.

6. The method as claimed in claim wherein the steps referred to are accomplished in successive internal dies in cooperation with coordinating external dies.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the initial forming of the blank is accomplished by punching it from a sheet of material and driving it onto an inner forming die at a single stroke.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the skirt is formed in a surrounding unitary die of appropriate contour to limit expansion of the skirt to the desired shape and size.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the blank is formed from a slug of metal by first driving the slug into a female die to impart the desired external dome shape to the blank and then driving an inner die into the blank contained in the female die to hollow out the interior of the blank.

10. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein successive blank slugs of measured length are severed from a metallic rod or wire, then die- -forged to a dome shaped cylindrical external contour, and then die-forged internally to provide an internal bore.

11. The method of forming a capped nut which comprises forming a thimble-like blank having a hollow, substantially cylindrical body and a dome-shaped end, solidly supporting the body upon an internal die with the open end of the blank body disposed within a surrounding die larger than the exterior of the blank body, relatively moving the blank so supported and a complementary die having a dome shaped recess to drive the dome portion of the blank into the dome shaped recess of the complementary die to simultaneously compress the wall portion of the body longitudinally and spread and broaden it laterally to the external contour of the surrounding die.

HEYMAN ROSENBERG. 

